Can we "improve" on the "Golden Rule"?

The Golden Rule is a general principle unlike the 10 Commandments which are a list of prescribed and proscribed behavior. However, it does not appear in the Bible and is commonly said to mean, "Do unto others as they would do unto you."

Is this a good idea? It puts the individual at the center of the universe. It establishes you as the reference frame.

Wouldn't it be simpler just to say, for example, "Be nice" or "Do good" or "Be good" or "Avoid doing evil"? This leaves the individual with an intuitive understanding of what is good or what is right and wrong or what being nice means but it is not centered around you.

Jan 4 2012:
I would expand the golden rule, to say "Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you, because otherwise you won't like yourself". I'm not much of a believer in God, but if I can concieve of anything to suggest a logic, that there is a creative force in the universe, it is simply, that human consciousness is designed to punish you when you treat others badly.

Consciousness has a logical verbal component... So if you = human being, and person x = human being, and you mistreat, or dislike person x.... You have to mistreat or dislike yourself. Logic keeps us kind, and sane. It is impossible to hate another human being without creating self hatred internally... It's quite a beautiful little trick the world plays on us. We're logical, and we know the truth whether we like to admit it or not. The golden rule expresses the inescapable moral law of the universe.

Jan 3 2012:
in short is has to do with our perception, which is based on our perspective, which is based on our theology and awareness, its funny because of what theology means to me, put loosely theo-logy, or god-logic.

personally i don't believe there is any such thing as the ten commandments, if there was there wouldn't be war; especially by the people who claim to believe in them. some people believe in god, that's cool nothing wrong with that, but its what they believe about god that seems to cause them so much trouble and confusion, some people believe god gave them free will then commanded them; which is an entire contradiction in itself, firstly because people believe god issues commands and secondly because it violates free will.

but like i said it has to do with theology, and its a really sensitive topic, like extremely sensitive.

Jan 3 2012:
One problem I have with the 10 Commandments is that when you read the Bible, God spends about as much time defining our relationship with Him as to the rest of the Commandments combined (based on verbiage). When God tells us that taking his name in vain is more important than killing one another (based on the order of communication given Moses as set forth in the Bible) this, as someone who believes in the sanctity of human life, is simply wrong.

Adam and Eve died for the right of free will i.e. they chose to disobey God and God enacted the ultimate penalties causing Eve and all women to experience the pain of childbirth and both of them died. Now God shows up with Moses and takes away that free will with the 10 Commandments.

Jan 5 2012:
"All things therefore that you want men to do to you, you also must likewise do to them; this, in fact, is what the Law and the Prophets mean." Matthew 7:12

These words of Jesus, known to many as the golden rule, is a bible principle, that, if applied in one's life, would help everyone to see just how you want to be treated.

Maya Angelou once wrote in an interview with Oprah magazine: "When people show you who they are, believe them", and as you try to apply the Golden Rule, you must realize that whether others practice it or not, people, by their actions show you how they want to be treated.

You can live by high standards for yourself, but you are doomed if you think everyone lives by your standards. So it is important that you observe individuals and treat each one according to their individual personality. In the end, it is what you do for others and to others, rather than what others do to you, that I feel really matters. Live your best life!!!

Jan 4 2012:
I, personnaly try to live by the golden rule and at times I succeed...nobody`s perfect right? It`s like the saying: Do Good and you will receive Good, do bad, you will get Bad...As well as Karma... What goes around comes around. I for one do not wish anything bad on anyone... but know that *HE/Someone* will take care of it someday...and it`s not me to want revenge or wish bad things on others. Mind you there are some people who I don`t necessarily like very much...but I like the saying that Jim Rhone once said: There are 8-9 bad people in the world...but seem to move around alot. JR.
Carpe Diem !

Jan 3 2012:
My contention concerning the Rule has always been one of strict accountability. Say that I commit some devious act that, if perpetrated against me, I would seek immediate retribution for. There can be no double standard with the rule- if I would expect someone else to be punished for an act then I too should be punished for any indolent indiscretions. It makes one face his own action without sympathy for your own consequence.

Jan 3 2012:
some people mix up the golden rule and put it as 'treat another instead of yourself' which is what the 'selfless' people do, who somehow see themselves as being unworthy of being treated well by themselves or others, but make no mistake the payoff there is they get to feel massive self pity and feel really sorry for themselves which some people actually get a kick out of. ill be honest i only know because ive been there.

i believe everyone is doing everything for themselves, which means in one way or another we are doing everything for eachother.

treat another as yourself,
treat another how you would like to be treated,

there is a concept of a truth called 'we are all one'
i say truth because it is true for some people,
if you can conceive of another person as a part of yourself and not apart from yourself

of course a majority of people believe in seperation theology, and the concept of we are all one is in unity theology, or oneness theology.

a quicker way to do this is to see human beings as family, extensions of your family, comprising the entirety of the human race;

and what you do for one you do for the whole, even at some microscopic level,
what you do for one part of the human race, you do for the whole human race.

and if you were in seperation theology it would seem like there are many races, some better than others and some not related or connected to eachother in any way. so what you do to one person, doesn't really matter because they arnt apart of the human race.

which doesn't make any sense, but none the less, people act this way; its a truth many people have forgotten, which is why there is a world oneness day now so people can remember.

when you lose sight that we are all in this together, it may look like we are all in this alone.

TED Conversations Archives

We’ve spent three years sharing Ideas, Debates and Questions — and learned a lot.

Now we’re going on hiatus to retool and rebuild from the inside out for a better conversation experience.